Published on May 15, 1998
Somewhere between jazz and bluegrass lies the music that Bela
Fleck & The Flecktones play. Fleck plays the banjo and
sometimes the electric banjo giving the band that hoedown sound.
Another member of the band named Future Man plays what is called a
synthaxe drumitar (basically a drum set played like a guitar)
giving the group a modern sound. Rounding out the band is Victor
Lemonte Wooten on bass and Howard Levy on piano, synthesizers,
organ, and harp among other instruments.
The band wastes no time on 1991’s
Flight Of The Cosmic Hippo showing off their jazzy chops on
the opening number “Blu-Bop.” This is a competent straight jazz
number. I like the part in the middle where they slow the tempo
down a bit; I wish that part was a little longer. On the next cut
“Flying Saucer Dudes,” Fleck delivers his first acoustic banjo solo
and proves what a credible instrument it is for jazz. “Turtle Rock”
is a fusion ditty that is likeable and boisterous.
Then the band really cooks with the title song. I think this is
the best song of the set. This slow, bluesy number starts off with
Fleck’s controlled banjo playing over Wooten’s lumbering bass
lines. Wooten really shines on this track as his bass emulates the
movements of a hippo. Levy’s harp solo also is successful in
emulating the hippo. This is very clever stuff.
The second half of the CD is where the bluegrass end of their
sound really dominates. “Jekyll And Hyde (And Ted And Alice)” is a
tour de force for Fleck as he picks through ever changing tempos.
The unpredictable changes in this song make it a delight. “Hole In
The Wall” is also unpredictable; it starts with a jazzy piano solo,
but then the banjo comes in to shift genres midway through the
song.
The rest of the songs are covers: “Star Of County Down” is a
traditional song where the band manages to retain the quaintness of
the song while at the same time giving it a modern flavor. Their
take on “The Star Spangled Banner” is not as dynamic as the Jimi
Hendrix version but is somewhat interesting nonetheless, and the
Beatles “Michelle” gets a nice treatment from the band as well.
The Flecktones have a very interesting sound. They show a lot of
promise on this release as their playing is above par. I think
there are a few songs that are exceptional, but I would have liked
to hear a little more feeling on some of the cuts rather than just
technical proficiency. I’m sure that will come with maturity.
However, there is not one bad song here and I recommend this very
enjoyable album.